🇦🇼 Aruba · Places to discover
What to see in Oranjestad ?
24 places curated by Hozy - landmarks, nature, hidden restaurants and activities.
MAP · OVERVIEW
Landmarks & heritage (4)
Wikipedia (fr) - CC BY-SABalashi Beer Factory
Landmark
A brewery producing Aruba's only local beer since 1999, with guided tours explaining the unique desalination process used to treat seawater for brewing. Tasting included.
Wikipedia (en) - CC BY-SAAruba Historical Museum
Landmark
History museum housed in Fort Zoutman, devoted to Aruba's pre-Columbian and colonial past. The collections on the Arawaks and artefacts from the Dutch era are exceptionally well documented.Wikipedia (en) - CC BY-SAFort Zoutman & Willem III Tower
Landmark
Aruba's oldest building (1796), now home to the Aruba Historical Museum. The adjacent clock tower served as the island's first lighthouse—history condensed into the heart of Oranjestad.Zeewijk Monument (Oranjestad)
Landmark
A quietly poignant memorial in central Oranjestad honouring the Dutch ship Zeewijk, wrecked in 1727. Seldom crowded, it tells the dramatic maritime story of sailors who survived seven months marooned on a reef before building a makeshift vessel to escape.Nature & parks (4)
Wikipedia (en) - CC BY-SAHooiberg (Haystack Hill)
Nature
A volcanic cone rising 165 metres at the island's centre, accessible via 562 steps. The summit rewards climbers with commanding views across all of Aruba, and on clear days, all the way to Venezuela.Sero Preto (Black Hill)
Nature
Black volcanic hill at the heart of the island, largely overlooked by tourists. The climb on foot rewards with a 360° panorama across the cunucu—the island's arid countryside—and the windmills of the Vader Piet wind farm.Dos Playa
Nature
Two wild coves cut into the wave-battered northern coast. Swimming is inadvisable, but the spectacle of breakers crashing against black rocks is breathtaking, especially in late afternoon.Casibari Rock Formations
Nature
Spectacular rock formations with carved stairways leading to the summit. Unobstructed views stretch across the central plains in a quintessentially desert-like atmosphere.Viewpoints (2)
Zeerovers Harbour Sunset (Hadicurari Pier Area)
Viewpoint
Hadicurari's working fishing pier at sunset—a world away from the bustle of Zeerovers. Watch fishermen mend nets, pelicans dive for supper, and Oranjestad ignite on the horizon. A free, living tableau of island life.Screaming Eagle Sunset Pier (Oranjestad Port)
Viewpoint
Wooden pier at the end of Oranjestad harbour offering unobstructed views of sunsets without the crowds of Palm Beach. Locals congregate here at day's end with an ice-cold Balashi from the neighbouring kiosk.Activities (6)
Wikipedia (en) - CC BY-SAAruba Aloe Factory & Museum
Activity
Aloe vera has flourished in Aruba since the nineteenth century, and this working family-run factory walks you through the entire manufacturing process. Genuine guided tours and quality products—decidedly not a tourist trap.
Wikipedia (en) - CC BY-SANumismatic Museum Aruba
Activity
One of the Caribbean's rare numismatic museums, holding over 40,000 coins from across the globe. Free entry, run by a passionate family for decades—an authentic curiosity of Oranjestad.Aruba Certified Diving (Pedernales Wreck)
Activity
The Pedernales, a tanker torpedoed by a German U-boat in 1942, lies 8 metres down near Palm Beach. Accessible to novice divers, this Second World War wreck is a haunting chapter of global conflict told beneath tropical waters.Aruba Ray's Comedy Club
Activity
A local entertainment venue in Oranjestad hosting Caribbean and international comedians. An authentic evening away from the resorts, beloved by Arubans themselves.Aruba Reef Care Project Dive Site (Barcadera Reef)
Activity
Dive site managed by a local conservation collective, featuring coral reefs in the process of restoration. Local instructors explain their work in situ—diving with genuine purpose.Rancho Daimari Horseback Riding
Activity
Family-run ranch offering horseback rides through the cunucu (arid countryside) down to the wild northern coast. One of the finest ways to traverse the island's interior far from tarmac roads.Beaches (5)
Wikipedia (en) - CC BY-SADruif Beach
Beach
Endless stretch of white sand south of Eagle Beach, virtually deserted on weekdays. Locals come here in the morning for walks on the firm sand, and beginner kitesurfers practise sheltered from the north-easterly winds.
Wikipedia (en) - CC BY-SAEagle Beach
Beach
Consistently ranked amongst the Caribbean's finest beaches, with pristine white sand and minimal seafront development. Sea turtles nest here—witnessing them at night is a genuine privilege.
Wikipedia (en) - CC BY-SAAruba Reef Beach (Barcadera)
Beach
A virtually deserted stretch of white sand facing Barcadera's industrial zone, yet remarkably unspoilt. Locals come here on Sundays with their families to snorkel the shallow reef just offshore.Divi Golf Beach (Tamarijn Area)
Beach
A semi-private beach south of Druif Beach, accessed by walking the shoreline from the Tamarijn Hotel. Quieter than Eagle Beach, it rewards visitors with turquoise waters and sun-baked iguanas draped across seaside rocks.Surfside Beach
Beach
Local beach in Oranjestad, free from resort hotels and beach vendors. Aruban families gather here on Sundays for picnics, whilst small food stands serve panchi (local fritters) for a few florins.More to discover (3)
Aruba Food & Wine Festival Grounds (Wilhelmina Stadium area)
Place
Wilhelmina Stadium and its surroundings host the island's major events: carnival, national celebrations and gastronomic festivals. Even outside event season, the neighbouring area reveals the authentic Aruba of families, far from the hotels.Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort Eco-Garden
Place
The Caribbean's most ecologically certified resort—carbon neutral and proud of it—opens its tropical gardens to visitors by appointment. A compelling model of island sustainability that reveals how Aruba is shaping its future.Oranjestad Harbour Fish Market (early morning)
Place
Each dawn, fishermen unload their catch directly onto the Oranjestad quay. A vibrant, authentic spectacle where you can purchase wahoo or snapper fresh from the water.